Ok, now maybe it’s just me and maybe I don’t know enough about this kind of stuff but… can’t you still vote? I mean, can’t they somehow let you vote even if it means driving 5 hours to do so?
If it was like super important to you and they said yes, if you show up in person, you can vote, would you do it?
My sis and I have driven 5 hours for a good tattoo. I can see driving 5 hours to make sure that I get my vote on.

Sorry to hear about that Les.  I have been fighting with my polling office because my choice for congress in my district wasn’t even on my early ballot.  I hope that Kerry wins and definitely got my vote in for Kerry.

You can still cast a provisional ballot.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04303/403555.stm

Yesterday NPR’s This American Life ran a piece that gives some feel for the magnitude of the voter suppression in this election. Here is a link to the audio

http://www.videovotevigil.org/archives/2004/10/this_american_l.html

The base page itself is an interesting place. If you happen to catch any highlow-jinx while you are at the polls with your video camera, you can submit it to these folks.

I really do hope that some of these folks wind up on the wrong end of a criminal action. I have heard, however, that the Justice Department is the outfit that will ultimately be responsible for prosecuting such cases. The audio clip describes one instance of Ashcroft’s intervention in an on-going procedure.

Brian, wasn’t me. I’m still fully capable of voting. This was a guest post by The JynXed.

I had heard of provisional ballots, but was not completely sure if they would apply to me. We’ll see what happens tomorrow morning when I go the one block up the street to the courthouse to vote. Thank you so much for that article shinypenny!

From what I’ve been reading, they should definitely apply to you:

Pennsylvania Voter’s Bill of Rights Card

http://www.ep2004officials.org/2004 Bill of Rights/Regular/PA BOR.pdf

It’s a bit murky, but I do think that at least these two provisions for regular or provisional balloting should apply to you:

2.) If you are voting in your election district for the first time, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE by regular ballot if you have a photo ID or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address with you on election day. 25 P.S. §§ 3050(a), 3050(a.1)

3.) If you do not have any form of identification and you are voting in your election district for the first time, or if you believe you are registered but your name does not appear on the registration roll, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE a provisional ballot by signing a State form under oath, swearing or affirming that you are the person identified on your voter certificate. 25 P.S. §3050(a.4).

MoveOn Voting Rights Wallet Card
-there’s a specific no. for Pennsylvania on it if you run into problems

I would definitely bring your passport if you have one, your driver’s license and a few utility bills with you, just in case.  Print out the PA Voter’s Bill of Rights and the MoveOn Card if you have a printer handy (and perhaps that article I linked to initially).  You might even want to call Election Protection tonight to see if you can get some clarification.

1-866-MYVOTE1 to report problems
1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683) for immediate legal assistance

Good luck and good wishes - post back when you get a chance and let us know how it went.

That’s truly unfair.  In the last presidential election, my husband and I were unable to vote because our registration was lost.  We were sent to three other places to vote, in the hopes that our registrations were there and they were not.  We found out, after all was said and done, that 1500+ registrations had been similarly “lost”.  At least this year we CAN vote.

I cast my vote today as a concerned citizen of the USA, via Provisional Ballot. Thank you again shinypenny for those links, they sure helped me out!

I voted my concious on this one, so I couldn’t vote a straight party ticket (even if I had wanted to I couldn’t, because some of the electorates had no Democratic runners anyhow, but I still voted for who I thought had the best record via my own research).

Again thank you all, and keep your fingers crossed for Kerry/Edwards!

THE BUSHES ARE COMING!
THE BUSHES ARE COMING!

I agree with hunter s thomson said the
recommended bet for an election gambler
is kerry with five point lead, and i agree with
him. i have seventy bucks riding on this.

but if bush wins i suspect it’s from using
these underhanded tactics.
you americans have a great tradition for not
taking any sh*t, certainly not when your liberty is in peril.

if bush wins and it turns out there was lots of
similiar disenfranchising of voters (read: rigged elections via a more sutble means) frigging revolt and kick those unelected bastards out.

no more sh*t, ok?

you have lots of friends worldwide.

i personally am interested in a united states of earth, all people represented.

damn, i even came up with a name.

i’m an Earthian.

Are you?

Sure, I’m an Earthian (I like that hee hee)!

But then, who are we going to invade? The Jovians? No way / they have poison gas WMD’s!

I’m only half Earthian.

must be a conspiracy!

that sucks, but PA is demo anyway.  i don’t think they’ll miss your vote much.

Spocko,
Which half?

We get the kind of government we deserve. Voting is not just an action, it is a way of life. Become informed and vote every election. Many elections have been lost or won on very slim margins, so your vote does count. Even if the candidate you vote for does not win, when his margin is small he is less likely to do something that would anger too many voters. And there are all those propositions - the ones on the ballot!

If anyone here reads Sinfest (excellent Webcomic BTW), you should understand a bit more about why things are like they are.  People in America today are lazy and complacent for the most part.  All talk and no action, especially when it comes to ousting their government when it would interfere with their cushy lifestyle.  Whole thing fucking frustrates me...but then again, this all goes in a general cycle.  Anarchy--->Social Anarchy/Tribal Governments--->Republics and/or other similar governments of grouped smaller areas--->Democracy and/or other governments, though most other systems tend to fizzle out alot quicker--->Empires.  Thing about Empires though, is while the tend to bring about the most enlightened ages, and large scientific advances.....they tend to implode on themselves through lack of a localized government.  Possible that that can be avoided with current tech...but unlikely. 

Please, if anyone else has more info along these lines, by all means say it.  I have no formal political science education other than my own observations and watching the History Channel.